Poisonous Goddess: I'm just lazing around in the mortal realm.

It was already dawn when Ning Wan'er was seen off.

Pei Nanyue took off her gauze dress and slowly leaned against the soft couch by the window.

It seemed like they had just gone through a fierce battle.

Pei Nanyue, now relaxed, couldn't hide her weariness.

Seeing this, A-Meng quickly lit the calming incense on the table, hoping to help her master sleep more comfortably.

"Aren't you going to ask me why I said those things to the Imperial Concubine today?"

Pei Nanyue watched Ah Meng's busy figure and said weakly.

Upon hearing this, A-Meng quickly turned around and replied.

"The master hopes to use Consort Ning to deal with the An family."

"You're only half right. Consort Ning isn't stupid. She's never been involved in worldly affairs, so why would she be willing to help my Pei family?"

"What you mean, Miss, is..."

A Meng paused, noticing Pei Nanyue's gaze, and quickly put down the incense stick in her hand.

"People are selfish. She has been in the palace for many years without fighting or grabbing, all for the sake of protecting the Crown Prince. But since she has been in the palace, why has she been childless for so many years? These are secrets that only she knows."

"You mean these secrets of hers are related to her willingness to help us?"

A-Meng walked to the soft couch and carefully massaged Pei Nanyue's calves. The two had talked almost all night, and if it weren't for the slightly chilly weather, Consort Ning probably wouldn't have left.

Pei Nanyue propped her head up with one hand and looked down at A Meng.

“I have no interest in knowing her secrets. I just don’t understand why she is so serious about the Crown Prince. Even if it costs her life, she will protect him.”

She frowned slightly, clearly not understanding this point.

Ah Meng paused, as if suddenly remembering something, and looked at Pei Nanyue.

"Is it because only with the Crown Prince around can Consort Ning spend her later years in peace?"

"According to palace rules, even if a woman has no children, as long as she is of the rank of concubine or above, she will be sent out of the palace to live out her days in peace. This has nothing to do with the crown prince."

Pei Nanyue had naturally considered this point as well.

However, based on her attitude when she went to see Consort Ning several times...

If it weren't for bringing up the former crown prince today, I'm afraid Consort Ning would still be unwilling to lend a hand.

The crux of the matter...

It should be the former crown prince.

"Miss... what should we do next?"

A Meng's voice pulled Pei Nanyue back to reality. Her face was blank; she really didn't know when this period of being watched would end.

Even when she goes out to buy...

Everyone would sense that someone was secretly watching them.

Clearly, the Emperor still didn't trust them.

"Wait for an opportunity to leave the capital."

"what?"

The southern barbarians were located on grasslands and had very limited resources.

It's summer again, and the southern barbarians face harsh winters and hot summers, making survival even more difficult.

"Snapped--"

The door to the stuffy room was kicked open with a swift kick, but as the person entered, the unbearable heat from outside followed.

"Master, we've been here for almost half a month, guarding this place the whole time. When will this end?"

Hao Jing casually closed the door and looked up at the man, who was still dressed in a black robe and sitting upright at the table.

Their location was precisely on the retreat route of the Southern Barbarian army, making it convenient for them to launch a pincer attack should any news arrive from the front.

It is precisely for this reason that their position

With Philadelphia weather

Several times the difference

The unbearable heat had already caused many of their soldiers to collapse.

Shen Mu's expression remained unchanged, as if he was completely unaware of the intense heat surrounding him.

He turned another page of the book in his hand and said calmly.

"Wait a little longer. I heard that the Crown Prince won his first battle and drove those barbarians back, didn't he?"

"But the Crown Prince was seriously injured, and it's unclear when the next battle will be. The brothers outside... have all collapsed from heatstroke."

Haojing frowned; he had just returned from outside himself.

Fortunately, before he entered the Southern Barbarian Grasslands

They stocked up on plenty of herbs in Philadelphia so that they wouldn't be without medicine at this time.

"He's injured? Wasn't it supposed to be a great victory? Why isn't it the generals who went to the front lines who are injured?"

Shen Mu didn't even look up, continuing to make marks on the scroll.

"They said he fell off a horse... He was already seriously injured and unconscious when he was brought to the Gu family mansion. As a result, the people in the Imperial Hospital were also drugged for no reason."

"Drug? What do you mean?"

Shen Mu placed the book on the table and waited for the ink to dry.

"They say he was given a laxative, and the crown prince almost lost his life."

Has Xie Qiao sent any news recently?

"Ah...it happened a few days ago, but..."

Haojing remembered what Xie Qiao had written in his letter, and suddenly didn't know how to begin.

"Wasn't I telling him to take good care of Thirteen?"

"Yes...but...but...but Thirteen is missing!"

"what?"

Shen Mu finally raised his head to look at Hao Jing. His expression, which should have been calm and composed, suddenly changed, gradually turning angry.

"I...I heard it from Xie Qiao...Master...Master, please don't do it!"

Hao Jing turned pale with fright and quickly took a few steps back, pressing himself against the wall. He was immediately drenched in cold sweat.

She actually received this news three days ago.

However, he thought that Xie Qiao's abilities were already quite remarkable.

If we find Thirteen before Shen Mu asks, we can resolve this problem.

Unfortunately, three days passed.

Xie Qiao still hasn't replied.

It is clear that Thirteen's whereabouts have not yet been found.

If Shen Mu hadn't suddenly asked, he probably would have continued to keep this matter a secret.

Shen Mu suddenly stood up, completely unaware of the killing intent emanating from him.

"Say it again, what exactly happened to Thirteen?"

He frowned, recalling that Thirteen was now completely devoid of her divine power. That was why he had left Haojing and Xie Qiao by her side, hoping they could protect her properly.

But unexpectedly

Thirteen insisted that Haojing come to find him, leaving Xie Qiao alone.

He already had some concerns.

Hearing Hao Jing's words now, he became even more anxious.

"Thirteen...thirteen...thirteen, she was taken away by the Crown Prince's men. By the time Xie Qiao returned to the inn to look for her, it was already deserted."

Hao Jing couldn't help but swallow hard; he naturally knew how important Thirteen was to Shen Mu.

Shen Mu glanced at him, and he was already terrified.

"I'll go find her."

"Master! No! If you leave now..."

Hao Jing swiftly grabbed Shen Mu's arm. Although he was also afraid of death, he now clearly understood that their responsibility was to drive the Southern Barbarians out of the grasslands.

Find the two behind the scenes

That was their true purpose for this trip.

Shen Mu seemed to have regained a sliver of rationality; he looked down at Hao Jing's hand with a hint of disdain.

"Why did the Crown Prince take her away? I remember the Crown Prince was supposed to arrive in Philadelphia first, so how did he discover Thirteen and the others?"

He couldn't understand why the Crown Prince would take Thirteen away at this time.

Haojing quickly withdrew his hand, then somewhat guiltily touched his nose.

"They say they discovered the whereabouts of the second young lady of the Pei family. Thirteen happened to be with her at the time, and they were both taken away by the Crown Prince."